Abarth Speedster 500 Coming

TURIN, Italy — As Chrysler's plant in Toluca, Mexico, prepares to manufacture the Fiat 500 following the production of the last PT Cruiser, there is news that the Italian company will also be selling the hot Abarth-branded versions of the 500.

Carlo Abarth was a famed tuner of small Fiats and Simcas in Italy during the 1960s. His name became a marque that Fiat bought but eventually allowed to wither before its relaunch two years ago. Abarth versions of both the 500 and the Punto supermini are offered in Europe, and it's the tuned version of the baby Cinquecento (500) that will be offered in the U.S. It's not clear whether it will be available from the launch, slated for early 2011, but this hot version is sure to go on sale soon.

The Abarth 500 comes with a turbocharged 1.4 -liter four delivering 135 horsepower and a 7.6-second 0-60-mph time. However, the U.S.-produced 500 will be an updated version of the 500 riding on a new platform that will look nearly identical to the current car. It's thought likely that it will use the new 135-hp 1.4-liter MultiAir engine featuring electronically controlled inlet valves. It's not yet clear whether Abarth 500s will be built at Toluca or imported from Italy, but Mexican assembly seems likely.

Abarth is also developing a coupe version of the 500 inspired by the tiny Zagato Abarth 750 of 1959. The caricature-like official artist's impression gives little away but hints at a shallower glass house, a cut-down windshield and a faster rake for the roof line and rear pillars. It's understood that the car will be offered in both open and closed forms. The closed version will feature the Zagato-signature double-bubble roof of the original.

The Abarth coupe is also likely to be offered with Fiat's new 1.4 MultiAir engine, which makes 163 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque in standard form or 178 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque with an additional tuning pack that Abarth labels Essesse. Whichever of these engines Abarth chooses, the coupe is likely to be quick, with a 0-60-mph time that should come inside the 7.4-second time of the 500 Essesse. Its top speed should be higher, too, thanks to the smaller frontal area.

Inside Line says: Abarth is a little-known performance brand in the U.S., but Fiat plans to change all that by taking on the Mini Cooper. — Richard Bremner, Correspondent